LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -- UNLV Football, coming off a third-consecutive season featuring a league championship game appearance and bowl trip, will open its 2026 schedule with a showdown vs. an American Conference stalwart and close it by hosting the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon vs. UNR as the tentative league-wide schedule was released Monday by the Mountain West.
 
Second-year head coach Dan Mullen's team will kick off the Rebels' 59th season of football on Saturday, August 29 by playing Memphis for the first time. The clash of conference contenders will be waged during Week Zero at Allegiant Stadium, marking the second straight year that UNLV opens early on the national calendar.
 
A quirk in the schedule sees the Rebels head to Mountain West rival Hawai'i the very next week to tie the school record for the earliest conference action for UNLV in history (Sept. 5, 2005, at New Mexico). The Rebels will look to defend the famed golden pineapple trophy as part of the Ninth Island Showdown sponsored by the California Hotel.
 
Mullen's crew will head to face another American Conference favorite, North Texas, on September 12 in a game returning the Mean Green's visit to Las Vegas in 2022. The Rebels last played in Denton in 1999 in what was Hall of Fame Coach John Robinson's debut at the school, a 26-3 victory.
 
Notably, UNLV's first three opponents of the upcoming season combined for a record of 29-11 last year, including earning a pair of bowl titles.
 
After the first of two bye weeks, UNLV starts a home-and-home series with Akron by traveling on September 26 to the state of Ohio vs. a Mid-American Conference team for the second straight campaign. The Rebels, who won at Miami last fall, will make their first visit to the Zips since 1976 in what was the only previous meeting of the programs.
 
UNLV will return to Allegiant Stadium following a month away on October 3 for a first-ever home game vs. ACC member Cal, returning the Rebels' trip to Berkeley in 2022. Game Six of the season features another first-time visitor as newly announced MW member North Dakota State comes to town for an initial meeting of the programs on October 10.
 
UNLV heads to Air Force on October 17 before entering the second off-week of the fall. Another new member of the Mountain West – NIU – will renew a rivalry that dates back to 1987 when the Huskies come to Las Vegas for the first time since 2014. The Halloween matchup will actually mark the second meeting as league mates as both schools were members of the Big West Conference when they faced off in 1995.
 
Longtime rival Wyoming will be here one week later to open the final month of the regular season on November 7. The Rebels play at New Mexico on November 14 and at San Jose State on November 21 before closing at home November 28 with the annual in-state rivalry game. That 52nd meeting with the Wolf Pack is a featured part of the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union as UNLV looks to earn a fifth consecutive win vs. UNR for only the second time.
 
UNLV, which has won 30 games in the last three years, will look to earn a fourth-straight spot in the Mountain West Football Championship Game during the first week of December.
 
"Very excited about this year's schedule," said Mullen. "We have some great home games for not just the UNLV faithful but also for all sports fans in the Las Vegas area. I can't wait until we break attendance records at Allegiant Stadium with this year's team."
 
Monday's announcement represents the first phase in the 2026 football schedule process. Mountain West national television partners CBS Sports and FOX Sports and CW Sports will now initiate a selection procedure that includes the shifting of particular games to Fridays. That will be followed by the identification of network outlets and kick times. This second phase is anticipated to be released by the end of May.
 
2026 season ticket renewals are available now. Fans interested in new season tickets or all-inclusive premium seating should visit UNLVTickets.com. For more information on season ticket options, call 702-739-FANS (3267).
 

2026 UNLV FOOTBALL SCHEDULE#

Aug. 29            MEMPHIS
Sept. 5              at Hawai'i*
Sept. 12            at North Texas
Sept. 19            OFF WEEK
Sept. 26            at Akron
Oct. 3               CAL
Oct. 10             NDSU*
Oct. 17              at Air Force*
Oct. 24              OFF WEEK
Oct. 31             NIU*
Nov. 7              WYOMING*
Nov. 14             at New Mexico*
Nov. 21             at San Jose State*
Nov. 28            UNR*
 
#Dates are subject to change
*Mountain West Game